Auction House Hopes ‘Rush’ Buzz will Boost Bids on James Hunt’s Race Car

Chris Hemsworth may not be in the running for an Oscar for his portrayal of Formula One champion James Hunt in the film “Rush.” But his performance put the late British driver, his 1970s career and his cars back on the popular-culture map.

Now one of those cars, the Hesketh 308, is scheduled to cross the auction block during RM Auctions’ Monaco sale on May 9 and 10.

Among die-hard Formula One fans the Hesketh is a watershed car. Commissioned by team owner Lord Alexander Hesketh and designed by renowned engineer Harvey Postlethwaite, it helped the tiny, struggling crew compete with the sport’s elite teams.